How Many Teeth Is an Inch

TPI is measured from gullet to gullet, not tooth tip to tooth tip – this is known as pitch. The general rule of thumb is: For wood and soft materials aim for 3 – 6 teeth in the workpiece. For metals and harder materials aim for 6 – 24 teeth in the workpiece.

What is the general rule of teeth per inch?

TPI is an acronym for Teeth Per Inch and is a common measurement to be detailed on saws. As a general rule, the more teeth per inch a saw has, the neater the finish will be, but the slower the saw will cut. The fewer teeth per inch, the faster the saw will cut but the rougher the finish will be.

Is more TPI better?

Woodworkers quickly learn that the number of teeth-per-inch (TPI) on the blade has a big impact on the quality of a cut. The general rule of thumb is “the more TPI, the smoother the cut.” The true answer, however, is just a little more complicated than that, as you’ll learn once you understand how saw teeth work.